Refrigeration



Sept. l5, 1942.

R. R. FlTzslMMoNs REFRIGERATION '2 sheets-sheet, 1

Filed Aug. 17, 193e INVENTOR llllllllll lll IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 11| |1|||||||||||||||||||r l||||Illlllllllllllilllllll||l| lllllllllillllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllillllll lllllllllllillllllllll fly 1 Richard riizsimmom ATTORNEY Sept. l5, 1942- R. R.' FITZSIMMoNs REFRIGERATION Filled Aug. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Patented sept. is, 1942 UNITED STATES- 2,295,944 aEFaIGEasrroN PAT ENT oFElcE Bichard R. Fitzsimmons, Chicago,A Ill., assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio Application August 11; 1939, semis. 290,576

16 Claims.

I This invention relates to the art of refrigeration and more particularly'to a novel labsorphigh room temperature conditions due .to the fact that such high temperature conditions decrease the ability of the absorber to remove refrigerant vapor from the pressure equalizing medium refrigerant vapor mixture supplied thereto from the evaporator. Consequently, the lean vgas supplied. to the evaporator contains an abnormally high percentage of refrigerant vapor with the resultthat less refrigerant can vaporze into a given quantity of inert gas and the capacity of' the unit decreases materially at the very time when it is most needed. y

Various previous attempts to overcome these diliiculties have not been altogether successful. ASuch previous machines embody various auxiliary pieces oi apparatus which are inoperative under normal operatingv conditions, which are costly and cumbersome to install in the apparatus and to include inthe cabinet and which operate principally by altering the effective charge in' the system thereby requiring the'provision of an excessive charge in the apparatus initially which increases the cost thereof. Accordingly, it is a principal object oi' the presentinvention to provide a three-duid absorption reirigerating system which automatically. compensates itseliv for changes in atmospheric temperature conditions ywithout requiring the provision of expensive, bulky auxiliary apparatus and without requiring alterations inthe chargeloi the system.`

It is a further object o! the invention to provide an absorption refrigerating apparatus 'in which the rate voi inert gas circulation automatically changes tol compensate the apparatus for alterations in atmospheric temperature conditions.v v

It is another object of the presentinvention to provide an absorption reirigerating apparatus inwhich the quantity or inert gas supplied to the evaporator and absorber per unit o! time in-4 creases with increasing temperature conditions.

.It is a furtherobiect of the present invention vto provide an absorption reirigeratlng system' o! the-type above described inwhich the inert gas is by a `pressure differential induced therein. which pressure 'diiierential is varied I tionv refrigerating apparatus of the three-fluid accordancewith changing operating conditions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an air-cooled absorption refrigerating system in which the' refrigerant vapor concentration in selected portions o1' the inert gas circuit are maintained at certain optimum values under all operating conditions.

a It is Va, further object of the present invention to increase the velocity of circulation oi the inert gas in a three-fluid absorption retrigerating system `with increasing atmospheric temperatures whereby to improvethe scrubbing and heat rejectingvaction o! the absorber and the heat absorbing action in they evaporator. It is still another object of the present invention to vprovide a three-fluid absorption refrigeratin'g system which automatically maintainsits refrigerating capacity at all conditions of atmospheric temperature; n

It is another object o i the present invention to provide an absorption refrigeratlng apparatus f of the three-duid type which is provided with an inert gas circulating Ian which automatically adjusts' its capacity to meet. the-changing conditions produced bychanges in operating conditions.

Otherobjects and advantages of the inventionv will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 1

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a three-duid absorption refrigerating apparatus embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged scale perspective view of a circulating fan rotor constructed and arranged 4to alter its capacity automatically in 4response to changes in the ambient temperature condition;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional pe of a modified ian construction.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional elevational view vof the rotor illustrated in Figure 3 associated with a driving motor and fan chamber.

Referring now to Figure 1 there is -disclosed a three-uuid absorption refrigerating -apparatus comprising a boiler B. a gas separation chamber D, an air-cooled rcctiiier R, a tubular air-cooled condenser C, an evaporator E, agas heat exchanger .G, an inclined tubular air-cooled absorber A, a liquid heat exchanger L, and a circulating tan 11'9y which is drivenby an electrical motor M. The above described elements are connected 'by various conduits to form .a piurspective view rality oi.' gas and liquid circuits to which reierl constituting a complete three-fluid absorption refrigerating system.

The above described system will be charged with a suitable refrigerant such as ammonia, a solvent therefor, such as water, and an inert pressure equalizing medium preferably a dense inert gas like nitrogen.

The boiler B may be heated in any suitable manner as by a combustible fuel burner or an electrical cartridge heater.

The circulating motor M and the heater for the boiler B may be controlled in any suitable or desired manner, a preferred control mecha- Y nism being disclosed and claimed in theco-pending application of Curtis C. Coons, Serial No. 148,424, flied June 16, 1.937, now Patent No. 2,228,343, dated January 14, 1941.

The application of heat to the boiler B gen'- erates refrigerant vapor from the strong solution therein contained. The vapor so produced passes upwardly through the `vapor lift pump conduit Il` into the gas separation chamber D conveying therewith a quantity of the solution weakened by the generation of the vapor. The vapor supplied to the chamber D is conveyed from the upper end thereof to the upper end of the condenser C by means of a conduit l2 which includes the air-cooled rectifier R. The rectifier R serves to condense vapor of absorption solution which may be generated in the boiler and passed into the conduit I2 from the separation vessel D.

The weak absorption solution which is supplied `to the vessel D is conveyed therefrom to4 they upper portion of the absorber A by means of the conduit Il, the liquid heat exchanger L and th conduit .15. A liquid level sufficient to cause gravity flow` of the weak solution into the absorber is maintained in the vessel D.

' the bottom portion of the evaporator E by way of the conduit 24, the gas heat exchanger G and the conduit 25, thus completing the inert gas circuit.

The weaksolution which is supplied to the absorber A flows downwardly therethrough by gravity in counterflow relationship to a rich mixture of pressure equalizing medium and refrigerant vapor which is supplied to the bottom portion thereoffrorn the evaporator in the manner to be described hereinafter. The lean solution absorbs refrigerant vapor from the mixture as it is passing through the absorber and the resulting heat of absorption is rejected to cooling air flowing over the exterior walls of the absorber conduit and the cooling fins mounted thereon.

The strong solution thus' formed in the absorber is conveyed from the bottom portion thereof back'to the boiler B by way of the conduit I 6, the liquid heat exchanger L and the conduit I1 thus completing the absorption solution circuit.

The refrigerant vapor which is supplied to the condenser C is", liquefied therein by exchange with cooling air flowing over the exterior walls of the condenser and the cooling fins mounted thereon. The liquid refrigerant thus formed is drained from the bottom portion of the condenser into the upper finned box-cooling portion I9 of the evaporatorE by means of a conduit 20. The liquid refrigerant flows downwardly through the evaporator by gravity in counteriiow relationship to the inert gas iiowingI upwardly therethrough. The liquid refrigerant evaporates into the inert gas tc produce useful refrigeration.

The rich pressure equalizing medium refrigerant vapor. mixture formed in-the evaporator is conveyed from the upper portion thereof to the lower portion of the absorber A by 'way of the conduit 2|., the gas heat exchanger G and f5 It occasionally occurs in systems of this type that non-volatile products, such as absorption solution, find their way into the evaporator where they may cause trouble if not removed. In a system as illustrated the non-volatile liquid supplied to the evaporator drains from the conduit 25 into the outer path of the gas heat exchanger G to the bottom thereof from which point it is returned to the strong solution return conduit I1 by means of the conduit 21.

It will be understood that the refrlgerating system above described is intended to illustrate` only the general type of apparatus with which the present`invention is concerned, and that various changes may be-made in the specific construction and arrangement of the various elements thereof. For example, the evaporator has been shown only diagrammatically though any known type of evaporator may be used with the present invention including the type in which the liquid refrigerant and propelled stream of inert gas is supplied to the bottom portion of the evaporator and in which the inert gas circulates with a high velocity in order to propel the liquid refrigerant Aupwardly through the evaporator as it is evaporating into the gas to produce useful refrigeration. Such an evaporator is disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of Curtis C. Coorl and William H. Kitto, Serial No. 386,395, filed April 2, 1941, which is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 220,189, filed July 20, 1938.

In systems of this type it has long been observed that high room temperatures resulting in high temperature cooling air very adversely affect the operating characteristics and capacity of the system by reason of the fact that the concentration to which the absorption solution can reduce the refrigerant vapor content of the pressure equalizing medium refrigerant vapor mixture in the absorber is a dlrect,function of the operating temperature4 of the absorber which is in turn a direct function of the temperature of the cooling air. It has been found, for example, that a reduction in-temperature of the cooling air increases the absorbing efficiency of the absorber and results in a decrease of the refrigerant vapor content of the mixture which is returned to the evaporator thereby permitting lower temi Vof thos'e vessels centration can be maintained at a low value the eillciency of the apparatus will be maintainedl under all conditions.

Inv accordance with the-present invention they -rate at which the inertv gas is circulated is stepped up with increasingy atmosphericl temperatures whereby the -apparatus is compensated for this effect. R 4

The regulation of the present apparatus is accomplished ,automatically by the circulating fan.

The `circulating fan Fisdriven by a' constant speed type of inductionmotorM which is.pro' vided' y with induction" coils (not shown) mounted outside the casing and thereby shielded from the atmosphere within the refrigerating system.

As is shownin Figure 2 therotating element of thecirculating fan F comprises a fan blade disc which is provided with a central opening 3l adapted to receive the drive shaft of the rotating portion of lthe motor. Equally spaced about the periphery of the disc 30 there are a plurality o f blades 33, 6 being shown, though any desired 1 numberl may be utilized in accordance withthev 'needs ofthe particular system.

The disc 30 is provided with spaced blade receivingv slots 32 and upstanding flanges 34. Each of the blades 33 is seated in a slot 32 and is secured to an adjacent flange l34 as by rivetsf35. Each blade 33 comprises two flat strips of metal V31 and '38 which are not affected by the corrosive atmosphre prevailing within the refrigerating system and which have different coefficients of expansion whereby to 'form a thermostatic couple. A suitable combination of metals which meet the specifications are-Invar steel and stainless steel. With this construction the' blade will shift from the full line ,position shown in Figure 2 which represents'the highest temperature con dition obtainable in normal operation of the systemto the dotted line position also indicated in Figure 2 which represents the position of the fan blade in the lowest temperature condition likelyto be encountered in practical operation.

It is readilyapparent from Figure 2 that the eilective length and-cross sectional area of the fan blade decreases progressively as the temperature decreases,thereby todecrease the effective capacity and discharge pressure of the fany and.,

hence to produce a decrease inthe rate inA which the inert gas will befcirculated thereby.

The fan blades 'respond` directly to the temperature of the lean gas discharged from the absorber, but this temperature is a function of the temperature of the cooling air, hence the capacity of the fan is determined by the temperay ture of the cooling air flowing over the absorber.

As a result of thisS construction the fan operates at substantially constant speed but the effectivel capacity and discharge pressure thereof varleswith thefternperature of the lean gas taken from the absorber. -As the temperature of this gas increases dueto increasing atmospheric temperature conditions the velocity with which the inert gas circulates also increases -which thereby compensates the evaporator for the slightly higher refrigerant vapor `content thereon-as a result of whichthe capacity of the apparatus is maintained. i

la locking nutV 43 or the like.

closed s modified form' of the invention. 'rms form of theinvention is identical with that pre- 4'viously' described xcept` for the fan construcltion andtherefore only the fan construction is shown in detail, it being understood that the fan is connected in circuit in exactly .the same manner as is the fan'heretofore described. Certain portions of this apparatus are identical with portions previously ldescribed in connection with Figures 1 and 2,and are therefore given the same vided withl a peripheral flange 4l extending downwardly as viewed in Figuresl3 and 4.' The base disc 42 is also provided with an intermediate downwardly extending annular flange 49 which receivesan annular nut 50 on its lower end. AAn

rannular bimetallic thermostatlc plate. is rigidly secured to the flange 484 as by alocking ringA I2 and is slidably received between the annular nut 50 and a superposed shoulder. which is formed on the flange 49. j.

As a result of this construction iiexure of the thermostat!! raises and lowers the shroud plate 41 with respect to the base plate 42. and thereby increases or decreases. the effective height and hence the effective cross'sectional area. of the 'fan blades 45. In the operation of the Vdevice the end of the. thermostat 5i which is positioned between the -shoulder 53 and the'nut 50 slides 1 slightly therein in ord`r,toA compensate for the change in the eiecti e distance between the spacebetween the shoulder-'53 and the nut 50 and the locking ring 52. .Y

Though a thermostatic disc has lbeen illustrated and described it will be understood that the same may bereplaced with a plurality of `thermostatic strips orthelike without departing fromthe spirit ofthe invention.

The bimetallic thermostat 5I lis so designed that it will raise the shroud plate' 41 substantially to the position shown in Figure 3 when 'subo jected to the lowest temperature likely to be encountered inthe practical operation .of the system and-thereby'will reduce the eifective size of the fan blade to a minimum.

The thermostatic element 5I will bring the space plate. 42 andthe bottom side of the shroud plate 41 substantially into engagement, as is il4 lustrated in Figure 4, when subjected to substantially theY highest temperature likely to'be encountered in the practical operation of the apparatus in which condition the capacity of the fan will be atlits maximum value.

Therefore this form of the i described in connection with Figures 1 and 2, op crates progressively to decrease the quantity of Another important feature of the increased inert 'gas flow results from the fact that the lgas has greater turbulence in the evaporator and in the vabsorber and also scrubs the interior walls ing theheat transfer. v e

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 there is dismore-violently, thereby improvy inert gas circulating through the inert gas circuit asthe ambient temperature progressively decreases from its maximum value1 V'l'.'l'ie herein disclosed invention provides a very convenient means of automatically and positively regulating ,the capacity of the system in response tochanges in atmospheric temperature` condition. This highly desirable result is invention, like that achieved by constructing the circulating fan normally found in systems of the type under consideration in such manner that it ,automatically alters .its capacity and discharge -pressure withoutl altering its speed and without requiring the provision of any control mechanism or moving parts in addition to those normally incorporated within the apparatus.

The present type of apparatus, is preferably provided with a cycling type control; that is, one which energizes the boiler heater to supply heat thereto at a substantially constant rate and one which simply energizes the substantially constant speed circulating fan. As a result iof this construction the rate at whichrefrigerant is generated and the rate at which the absorption solution circulates is' maintained substantially ccnst'ant but the rate at which the inert gas circulates is'varied to maintain the operating characteristics of the apparatus at all atmospheric ternperature conditions reasonably to be encountered in actual operation of the apparatus. It will of course be understood that the periods of energization of the boiler-heater will depend upon the demand for refrigeration but that its rate of heating will remain substantially constant.

While the invention has been illustrated and described herein in considerable detail, it is not to be construed` as being limited thereto as various alterations may be made in the construction, arrangement and proportion of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Absorption refrigerating apparatus comprising a solution circuit including a generator and an absorber, an inert gas circuit including an evaporator and saidabsorber, means for liquefyevaporator and said absorber, means for liquefying refrigerant vapor produced in said generator and for supplying the liquid to said evaporator, a centrifugal fan having a plurality of vblades in' said inert 'gas circuit for forcing the inert gas through said evaporator and said absorberfsaid fan including thermostatic means for altering the capacity of said blades in response to changes in the temperature of the inert -gas supplied thereto.

5. Absorption refrigerating apparatus comprising a solution circuitincluding a generator and an absorber, an inert gas circuit including an evaporator and said absorber, means for liquefying refrigerant vapor produced in said generator and for supplying the liquid to said evaporator, a multi-bladed centrifugal circulating fan in said inert gas circuit for circulating inert gas between said evaporator and said absorber, a shroud plate through which said blades extend, and thermostatic means arranged toalter-the relative positions of saidfshroud plate and of said blades in response to ambient temperature conditions.

6. .That method of regulating the operation of refrigeration systems of the type employing a refrigerant, an absorbent, and a pressure equaliz- 4 ing medium inert with respect to the refrigerant i and the absorbent, which includes the steps of ciring refrigerant vapor produced in said generator and for supplying the liquid to said evaporator, means in said inert gasr circuit for circulating the inert gas between said evaporator and said absorber, and means for varying the effective catween said evaporator and said absorber, said circulator including temperature responsive means for varying the effective lcapacity thereof in accordance with ambient temperature conditions.

3. Absorption refrigerating apparatus .com-

' prising a solution circuit including a generator and an absorber, an inert gas circuit including Y an evaporator and said absorber, means for liquefying refrigerant vapor produced in said generator4 and for supplying theliquid to said evap-` orator, a centrifugal fan having a plurality of bimetallic thermostatic blades in said inert gas circuit, saidv fan being arranged to pump the inert gas through said inert gas circuit between said evaporator Vand said absorber whereby the eifective area of said blades varies with the temperature of the inert gas supplied thereto.

4. Absorption refrigerating apparatus comprislng a solutioncircuit including a generator and an absorber, an inert sas circuit including an inert gas circuit for propelling the inert gas beculating the pressure equalizing mediumbetween absorbing and evaporating zones by producing a pressure differential in a localized area containing pressure equalizng medium and governing the capacity of the system by altering the said pressure differential in response to atmospheric temperature changes.

7. That improvement in the art of producing refrigeration by means of a refrigerant, an absorbent therefor, and a pressure equalizing medium which is inert with respect to the refrigerant and the absorbent which includes the steps of expelling refrigerant vapor from a solution of the refrigerant in the absorbent by the application of heat thereto, condensing the vapor by heat exchange with cooling air, evaporating the refrigerant liquid into a moving body4 of the pressure equalizing medium in an evaporating zone, absorbing the vapor from the pressure equalizing medium by contacting the refrigerant 'vapor pressure equalizing medium mixture in an absorbing zone with solution previously weakened by the expulsion of refrigerant vapor, rejecting the heat of absorption to cooling air, and regulating the 'capacity of the system by governing the rate at which the pressure equalizing medium circulates between the absorbing and evaporating zones in accordance with the temperature of said cooling air.

8. Absorption refrigerating apparatus comprising a solution circuit including a generator and an absorber, an inert gas circuit including an evaporator and said absorber, means for liquefying refrigerant vapor produced in said generator and for supplying the liquid to said evaporator, a

vaporoperated pump for circulating absorptionv solution through said absorption solution circuit, and means in said inert gas circuit for circulating the inert gas through said evaporator and said-absorber and for automatically increasing and decreasing the rate of inert gas circulation as the temperature of the inert gas insaid absorber increases and decreases, respectively.

9. That method of producing refrigeration which includes the steps of supplying refrigerant liquid to an evaporating zone'at a substantially constant rate', circulating an absorbent through an absorbing zone at -a substantially constant rate, evaporating the refrigerant into an inert gas circulating between the absorbing and evapo- Y rating zones, and varying the quantity of inert gas entering the evaporating and absorbing zones 15 per unit of time in accordance with atmospheric 11. Absorption refrigerating system including an evaporator, a condenser, a boiler and an absorber connected in circuit, a power driven fan for circulating a pressure equalizing medium through a circuit including said evaporator and said absorber, said fan including thermostatic means for altering the effective dimensions thereof in response to a thermal condition of the system.

12. An air-cooled absorption refrigeratlng system including a boiler, an air-cooled-absorber, an air-cooled condenser and an'evaporator connected in circuit, means for circulating an absorption solution through said boiler and said absorber at a substantially constant rate, means for circulating an inert gas through said evaporator and said absorber. and means for altering the rate of inert ges circulation in accordance with a thermal conditioneilecting theoperation of the system.

13. That method of`regulating the operation of refrigeration systems of the type employing a refrigerant, an absorbent, and a pressure equalizried by. said blade support, a shroud plate embracing said blades and blade support and provided with slots through which said blades project, and a thermostatic Velement housed within said shroud plate and connected between said blade support and' said shroud plate to shift v said shroud plate relatively to said blade support A and blades in accordance with thermal condition of material being pumped.

15. In an absorption refrigerating apparatus of the type charged with a refrigerant uid, an absorbing fluid and a third fluid which is inert with respect to. the refrigerant and absorbing fluids; an absorber, a generator, an evaporator. means for liquefying vapor of vtherefrigerant huid-produced in' said generator andfor supplying the liquened refrigerant iiuid to said evaporator, means connecting said absorber and said evaporator for circulation of the inert fluid therebetween. means connecting said absorber and said generator for circulation of the absorbing iluid therebetween, and a fluid circulating pump in one of said connecting means for circulating iluid therethrough. and means for varying the quantity of iiuid circulated by. said pump with variations in the thermal condition of the uld being pumped.

16. That method of regulating the operation of absorption refrigerating systems of the type employing, a refrigerant medium, an absorbing medium and a pressure equalizing medium which is inert with respect to the refrigerant and absorbing mediums, which includes .the steps of applying heat to a solution of the refrigerant medium in the absorbing medium ina place of generation to evolve refrigerant medium in vapor phase, converting the said refrigerant medium ing medium inert with respect to the refrigerant and the absorbent, which includes the steps of circulating the pressure equalizing medium between absorbing and evaporating zones, and maintaining the capacity of the system substantially constant by varying the circulation of the in vapor phase to the liquid phase and conductingthe liquid refrigerant medium to a place of evaporation. evaporating the liquidrefrigerant into the pressure equalizing medium in a place of evaporation to produce a refrigerating effect,

- circulating the pressure equalizing medium bepressure equalizing medium in response to alter-' ations in an operating condition of the system which tends to alter the capacity of the system.

1 4. A centrifugal fan comprising a driving means, a blade support operatively connected to said driving means. a plurality of fan blades cartween the place` of evaporation and e. place of absorption, circulating absorbing medium between the place of absorption and the place of generation, and maintaining the capacity of the system substantially constant under variations in a condition affecting the capacity of the system by varying the rate of circulation of one of said mediums. l

RICHARD R. 'FI'IZSIMMON 

